wheeler



(N0 Mbdel.) s Shets-8heet 1.

B. A. WHEELER.

ENGINE LATHE.

Patented Apr. 26, 1898-.

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B. A. WHEELER. ENGINE LATHE.

1 Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

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-B. A. WHEELER.

ENGINE LATHE.

$10,602,924 Patented'Ap'r. 26, 1898.

7. NORRIS wrrens co wcmmuwu, WASHINGTON, u. c.

UNITED STATES- Pa'rswr risen,

BENJAMIN A. WHEELER, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE DRAPERMACHINE TOOL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ENGINE-LATHE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,924, dated April26, 1898.

A Application filed August. 28, 1897. Serial No: 649,868. (No model) Toall whom it may concern: Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section Be itknown that I, BENJAMIN ALFRED through the bearing a and adjacent operat-WHEELER, of \Vorcester, county of VVorcesing parts, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is aview in rear eleter, State of Massachusetts, have invented an vation ofthe apron and parts carried there- 55 5 Improvement in EngineLathes, ofwhich the by, Fig. 5 being a plan of the same; and Fig. followingdescription, in connection with the 6, a vertical transverse section onthe line cam, accompanying drawings, is a specification, Fig. at,looking from right to left. Fig. 7 is like letters on the drawingsrepresentinglike a longitudinal vertical section of the stack of parts.gears with the lead-screw shown in elevation, 6o 10 In engine-lathes andsimilar machine-tools the view being taken on the line 3 11 Fig. 5, ofmodern construction the presence in asinlooking from rear to front ofthe apron; Fig. gle machine of diverse attachments to which 8, a detailof the interlocking lever with the the attention of the operator must beconmechanism which it connects; and Fig. 9 is stantly directed hasbecome the source of cona vertical sectional detail on the line 2 2,Fig. [5 siderable' annoyance, preventing, as it does, a, showing thecontrolling devices for the ordue application of the operator to thework dinary mechanical or power feed, longitudiin hand, with consequentimpairment in the nal and cross, while Fig. 10 is a View in elequalityofthe latter, while the stoppage of the vation of the worm-gear in placewith the machine to make frequent substitutions of bevel-nut omitted,looking from left to right, -2o gear and the like cuts seriously intothe time Fig. 9.

during which the machine is available for As an example of one class ofmachine-tool work and affects to a considerable extent the to which myinvention may be applied with earnings of machines whose size andcomgreat advantage I have selected for illustraplexity entail a highinitialexpense. In retion and description a screw-cutting engine- 7 5 25cent types of lathes various exp'edients have lathe of a well-known typeequipped with been adopted to obviate the necessity for mechanismembodying my improvements in these interruptions; but the operator isstill their preferred form.

compelled at times to leave the point at which The base A, with its beda, the tail stock a, the work lies to adj net the regulating devices thehead a including live-spindle a cone a 3o provided, and theseaccordingly fall short of belt-pulleys, and back gear a may be of ofaffording the desired relief, especially in ordinary construction, asillustrated, or of the case of the larger sizes of screw-cuttingsuitable desired construction, the power for lathes,where often upon asingle piece of work the feeding mechanism being led out in any threadsof different pitch must be formed suitable manner, preferably as usual,to a 35 and the adjustment should be effected :inconvenient feed-stud aorits equivalent from stantly and at times without stopping the aspindle-pinion (L7 by means of the usual work. train of gearing apreferably including re- Accordingly the object of this invention isversing-gears, chiefly inclosed in the ordinary 'to provide forincreased flexibility of adj ustmanner within the head and for the sakeof 4o mentbetween the various mechanisms in rnaconveniencepreferablycontrollable bymeans chine-tools and to accomplish anefficient orof an ordinary intermediate pull-gear a and ganizat-ion ofthe same with the regulating areversing-rod a and lever 0, all connecteddevices under the cont-rolof the operator at. to and cooperating withthe mechanism ala central point adjacent the work and prefready referredto in well-known fashion. 5 45 eraloly upon the apron of the maincarriage. In suitable bearings a a on the base or Fign re 1 is a view inperspective of a screwframe A and extending across the fronttherecutting engine-lathe equipped with Inechanof longitudinally ismounted rotatably an ism embodying my invention, part of theactuating-shaft B, preferably projecting beapron being broken away toreveal the operyond its hearing at the head of the frame to I00 50 atingparts carried thereby. Fig. 2 is an elereceive gearing in train with thefeed-stud a,

vation of the gearing at the head of the lathe. from which the shaftderives its power, preferably as illustrated, through auxiliaryvariable-speed-transmitting devices composed in this instance ofcooperating multiple-speed cones of gears b b, any pair of which may bebrought into action while the others run freely. As a convenient mannerin which to regulate the rate of transmission at this point I mount thegears of the cone Z) loosely on the shaft B, but retained thereon by anut b as best seen in Fig. 3, grooving the interior of their hubs,respectively, as at 19 to receive a feather b carried by and projectingfrom a pull-spline 19 which latter is seated in a longitudinal groove bof the shaft B, enlarged at b to permit lateral play of the spline asthe feather lfi'dodges under the rings 5 provided between the gears tonormally prevent escape of the feather from the hub of the gear selectedand also to prevent the spline from engaging with more than one gear atthe same. time, a spring b and screw 15 or other suitable means servingto throw the feather into engagement properly and hold it up to itswork. The spline is carried through the bearing (L to suitablecontrolling means, as the handle I), located at a point to beconveniently reached by the operator, who can by it throw in any pair ofthe gears, of which five are shown in the drawings, permitting,consequently, five dilferent rates of transmission from a given speed atthe feed-stud a or, rather, from an intermediate feed-gear Z9 in thisinstance.

When cooperatin g with a cone of loose gears arranged as just described,the gears of the primary cone Z) may and should be fast either togetheror, preferably, to a common quill Z), (see Fig. 2,) with which the outergear may conveniently be formed as a quill-pinion, said quill beingmounted rotatably on a stud a on the frame, preferably, while theintermediate driving-gear Z1 I provide, as usual, to give greaterpossibility of adjustment, if desired, and for this reason it ispreferably mounted on an adjustable support 19 permitting substitutionor interchange of gears in well-known manner, although it may be omittedentirely provided 1 his connection between the feed-stud 0,6 or itsequivalent and the auxiliary multiple-speed-changing devices b b can beproperly effected by other means. Parallel with the actuating-shaft B,in this instance above and slightly behind it, extends the lead-screw O,rotatably mounted in suitable bearings, which for the sake of accuracyand ease of assemblage are preferably integral with the shaft-bearings aas illustrated.

In the preferred form of my invention the lead-screw is normallydisconnected and at rest, terminating at the bearing a, withretaining-collars c, and only rotates while feeding during the operationof the tool, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

On the bed a is fitted to slide longitudinally the tool-carrier D, shownas a main carriage, of usual form and preferably having a cross-slide dwith tool-block cl and any other attachments of usual or desiredconstruction, While from the carriage and movable with it depends theapron E, secured by suitable means, as lugs 6 and similar in generalcontour in the instance illustrated to those in use at the present day,though the term apron is used hereinafter in the specification andclaims to designate any convenient portion of the tool-carrier toreceive the devices and mechanisms set forth.

The actuation of the tool-carrier during and for purpose of the Work, asWell as at other times, and the organization of the various mechanismsby which this is accomplished, with centralization of the regulatingdevices under the control of the operator, constitute important featuresof my invention, and before describing in detail the mechanism which Ihave selected to illustrate my novel method of operation Idesire tooutline briefly the features wherein my invention departs radically fromthe principles of operation heretofore adopted by others in theirefforts to accomplish the same end.

Of chief importance I deem the provision of regulating devices under thecontrol of the operator at the tool-carrier to govern the op eration ofeach of the various feed mechanisms, for by so locating these, whatevermay be their construction, Iobviate the necessity for departure of theoperator from his work.

In a recent type of lathe possessing many advantages constant rotationof the leadscrew during actuation of the carriage or its slides, forwhatever purpose and at many useless times, has resulted from thepresence of gears on the lead-screw, with consequent se- Vere andunnecessary wear and stress on this, the vital part, of the lathe, thepart upon the absolute integrity of which depends the accuracy of thework performed by the tool. To obviate the necessity for this constantrotation, I prefer to refrain from the use of driven gears arranged onthe screw-shaft and necessarily communicating their motion to it,eventhough by the provision of various sizes of gears the speed can bereduced to a comparatively low rate. In common with this type of latheanother type in which the screw is in gear with the variable-speedmechanism through a train of gear-wheels, and, so far as I am aware, alltypes extant having rotatable lead-screws are universally open to theadditional objection that the lead-screw is actuated from its end and atsuch a distance from the point of driving engagement with thetool-carrier that a strong torsional force is exerted upon theintermediate portion of the screw, frequently destroying its ability toaccurately guide the tool in cutting the finer pitches of screw-thread.

In carrying out my invention I provide means movable with thetool-carrier to rotate the lead-screw, and in the preferred form ofconstruction illustrated this means is shown as comprising a pluralityof differentsized gears of the type common to a number of lathes of thisclass, preferably rotatable about a horizontal axis and for the sake ofcompactness assembled in the form of a stack upon a quill or support, onwhich they are all fast and which preferably surrounds the leadscrew,but preferably without deriving any support therefrom or in any mannerinterfering with normal isolation thereof, and suitable provision ismade on the one hand for actuation of the stack atvarious speeds by thedriving-shaft and on the other hand for connection of the stack at timeswith the lead-screw to drive the latter, and thereby feed the carriage.To more specifically describe the illustrated embodiment of this feainnumber and designated accordingly in Fig.

7, not including the quillpinion e. As a convenient selector device ormedium whereby to connect the actuating-shaft B with any of the gearsthat the speed of the quill may be thus varied I have adopted thewell-known expedient of a selector-arm carrying an intermediate gearconstantly in mesh with a pinion on the actuating-shaft, inasmuch as Ihave in this instance shown the stack opposite said shaft and adapted tobe swung into cooperative engagement with any of the gears constitutingthe stack.

' I have illustrated a form of selector-arm which slides with its pinionalong the actuating-shaft to the desired point, andI prefer to use (seeFig. 6) a pinion e, splined at e in the groove 12 and havinga hub e uponwhich is seated and retained by a collar e (see Fig. 4) the hub e of thearm a, and the latter I construct,preferably,for convenience ofmanufacture with. an extension 6 providing also a stud e to receive theintermediate gear a, and aloclring-bolt F, the head of which serves as acontrollin g-handle for the arm a and the pitch-governing mechanism ingeneral, while any suitable locking means may be employed, as thelocking-plate e of ordinary or desired form, having positioning-notchese and locking-holes e" in series corresponding, respectively, to thegears of the stack and to permit the arm to be locked, with its gear a,in engagement with any of the gears 1 to 10, as desired.

To draw the locking-bolt into locking position, a spring f may beprovided, seated, (see Fig. 6,) preferably, in an enlargement f of thebearing f and pressing at one end against a shoulderf on the bolt, whileat its other end a bushingf screwed into the arm memberf holds thespring up to its work.

To operate the arm for a change of gear, it

is only necessary to grasp and pull out the handle F, withdrawing thebolt from the hole it to a great degree.

a", when the arm will be free to be depressed and thereby released fromthe corresponding notch, then moved laterally opposite the notchcorresponding to the gear which will give the desired rate, when uponreversal of the operation the intermediate gear 6 will be fixed inadjusted position by locking of the handle.

Passing now to the connection between the stack and the lead-screw, thismay be effected most conveniently by means of an intermediate member orclutch, and one form of such a connection accordingly I have shown inthe drawings, where it (see Fig. 7) designates a suitable driving memberformed for strength and compactness integral with the hub of thestack-gear 1, while it designates the driven member, splined at 71. intoa groove 0 of, or otherwise suitably rotati vely connected with, thelead-screw, upon which, however, it is free to move longitudinally bothwhen being thrown in and when carried bodily by movement of the apron,the isolation of the lead screw being preferably preserved absolutely,as illustrated, inasmuch as the member h derives its support from thebearing e, though the mere presence directly on the lead-screw of aclutch member or its equivalent, if normally free, would not besufficient-to hamper The members of this clutch are shown as bothinclosed almost entirely within the bearing 6, thus not only promotingstability, but also aiding to permit the confinement of the operatingparts within the limits of a relatively small apron. Of greateradvantage still is the close juxtaposition of the driven clutch member hto the split or opeu-aud-shut nut, absolutely eliminating, as I havealready noted, all deleterious effects from torsion on an extendedintermediate portion of the lead -screw, of which scarcely half an inchintervenes between clutch and nut in the instance illustrated. Theclutch is thrown into operation to connect up the screw only when thefeed is to begin, and its engagement is preferably effected concurrentlywith and by shutting of the nut members 70 it, of ordinary or desiredform, to grasp the lead-screw. To throw on the nut, I employ,preferably, the usual handle-disk k (best seen in Fig. 8,) havingcamslots 75 to receive and actuate pins or projections 70, extendingthrough slots 6 (see dotted lines, Figs. 4 and 7) in the face of theapron, outside which the handle-disk is free to rotate on a suitablepost or support if. Rotation of the disk by raising the handle K fromthe position illustrated draws the pins k toward the post k and the nutmembers 7a together, embracing the screw, the usual slides 70 serving,in cooperation with undercut rabbets 75, to maintain the nut members inparallelism.

As one form of suitable means to transmit the motion of the lever-handleK to the clutch member 7L to secure the concurrent actuation armrespectively operatively connected to the clutch member h, as by teethtaking into or engaging a circular rack or similar peripheral projectionh on the enlargement, preferably made on the exposed portion of theclutch member. Simultaneous actuation of clutch and nut is thus insured,but no interference is made with rotation of the clutch member 71. afterit is thrown in, as the annular rack it will run freely between theteeth of the bellcranks 70 Having thus fully set forth the preferredarrangement of the lead-screw and the parts which cooperate with it inaccordance with my novel arrangement to effect the feed proper, I willnow describe the mechanism by which the tool-carrier (which term I usegenerically for the main carriage or its equivalent and the partscarried thereby) can be actuated in various directions and for variouspurposes by the same shaft which actuates the feed-screw, but withoutdisturbance of the latter.

The construction and manner of operation of the gearing employed ingeneral differ but little from the ordinary; but certain novelties ofarrangement and actuation will emerge in the following description andtheir presence and advantage be fully apparent therefrom and from aninspection of the drawings to those skilled in the art.

The provision on the tool-carrier of means to actuate the power crossand longitudinal feed mechanism at different rates of speed constitutesthe chief divergence from present usage, and while the worm may beplaced on the actuating-shaft or in any other suitable place on thecarriage I prefer to utilize a separate worm-shaft N, and by suitableconnections secure for the worm the capability of actuation at all thedifferent speeds transmitted by the stack 6*, such connection beingeffected in this instance through the stack quill-pinion e to a gear 72,connected operatively with the worm-shaft, preferably as shown,.byaclutch, of which the hub 02, (best seen in Fig. 8,) seated in a suitablebearing e may be and preferably is arranged to serve as a member. Thisclutch may be of any suitable form, and when constructed as illustratedthe driven member may conveniently be formed as a sleeve n splined at ato the worm-shaft N, and capable of axial movement thereon to permitengagement or disengagement with the member n to throw the worm-shaft inor out of connection with the stack e To avoid breakage, it is necessarythat the lead-screw and the mechanical power-feed should not be inoperation simultaneously at different speeds, and I prefer to obviatethe chance for an accident through carelessness of the operator byinterlocking the open-andshut nut and a suitable part or parts of thepower-feed-controllin g means,in this instance the worm-shaft clutch, insuch a manner that only one of them can possibly be closed at a time. Tothis end I preferably bring the worm-shaft clutch under control of thehandle K, which may be accomplished to advantage by the use of anactuating or interlocking device, shown as a link or lever P, ofsuitable construction, connected near one end, as at 19, (see Fig. 8,)to the controller of the worm-shaft clutch, shown as a yoke 19',suitably connected to the clutch-sleeve M, as by a screw or projectiontaking into a groove n of the sleeve and pivotally mounted at 19intermediate its connections with the sleeve and lever.

The interlocking lever P, as illustrated, has a bearing in a slot 6 ofthe bearing e and extends beyond the same toward the handle-disk 10preferably having its end forked, as at p, to bear on the post 75, whileoperating connection between the lever and disk may conveniently beeffected by a pin and cam-slot union, whereby rotation of the disk willcause longitudinal movement of the lever one way or the other to throwthe clutch member 42 In Fig. 8 this form of connection will be seen, thedisk having a lug or projection 70 taking into a cam-groove 19preferably formed in an enlargement or head 1) of the lever P.

To insure complete disengagement of the clutch members a n before theopen-andshut nut can be closed, the slot 10 has an inclined shoulder 10against which the lug 70 impinges with a quick throw of the lever Pimmediately upon the commencement of rotation of the disk and before theeffect upon the pins 10 has reached such a degree as to approach the nutmembers It It to the point of engagement with the feed-screw C.Similarly upon reversal of the operation the lever lags until the nutmembers have been from a worm-gear t meshing with the worm N. Similarlyalternative engagement by the rock-gear i may be caused with anoppositelyplaced gear 5 in train with a longitudinal feed-rack W on theframe through suitable gearing, such as the pinion-stud s splined to thegear 5 and movable axially within a bracket-bearing e by suitablecontrolling means, as a handle 8 which serves to enable the operator tothrow the pinion-stud into or out of engagement with the rack, chieflythat the usual handle-pinion s and its handle 8,

Fig. 1, may be disconnected when idle.

The rock-gear t, which constitutes part of the controlling means for thepower-feed mechanism, is shown in the figures in its intermediateposition readyto be rocked into engagement with the pinion s? to give apowerfeed to the cross-slide cl or into engagement with the gear 5 tocause longitudinal traverse of the carriage for feed or other purpose,as desired.

The preferred form of supporting means for the rock-gear and connectionwith the wormgear '6 is best illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, wherein thegear 15 rotates upon a stud i carried by a rocking plate or support t,which is seated upon and rotatable abouta suitable projection from orpart carried by the apron, in this instance an inward extension of abearing-box i screwed into an aperture 6 in the apron and traversed byabushing or rotatable sleeve-like member li in turn carrying a shaft tSeated on the sleeve 6 within the apron are the worm-gear t and thepinion t, of which the first is free to rotate, while the pinion issplined at i to a groove i in the sleeve and, as before stated, is inmesh with the rock-gear t, which on its support 13 is capable of limitedrevolution about the pinion, remaining always in mesh therewith.

To connect the worm-gear with the sleeve at such times as the operatormay elect, thus placing under his control the instantaneous starting andstoppage of the power'feeds even during constant rotation of the worm N,I interpose a clutch, following in its general features a Well-knownform in which the web of the worm-gear is recessed at i to receive abevel-nut or clutch member 19 the latter having a central threadedaperture 25 to receive the threaded end if of the shaft 25 which isfurther provided at its outer end with suitable controlling means, asthe han die andat both ends with retaining-nuts t t. The immediateconnection between the sleeve i and bevel-nut 15 is accomplished in thisinstance by providing the sleeve with a terminal shoulder or ring 29preferably integral with the material of the sleeve and having a lug orprojection b, the shoulder and lug entering a correspondingly-shapedrecess Z in the bevel-nut i which upon turning of the handle t one wayor the other is drawn against orv forced away from the worm-gear t thegeneral relative position of the sleeve, bevel clutch-nut, and shaftbeing preferably maintained by an annular shoulder on the shaft or byequivalent means.

For convenience in manipulation of the rock-gear support 21 the stud tis shown as extended through a curved slot 2 in the 7 holes forming theslot e as best seen in Fig.

4 in dotted lines and in Fig. 5, where the adjacent parts are slightlybroken away.

M (see Fig. 1) is a lever of usual construc- Gil tion splined to agroove 71 only shown in Fig. 6) in the reversing-shaft R, its hub mentering the apron-bearing c and having a groove m, Fig. 4, to receive apin m by which it is caused to travel with the carriage and is always athand for reversal of the carriage or stoppage thereof in well-knownfashion.

I preferably furnish also cams m m cooperating with adjustable cam-stopsr r to cause automatic stoppage or reversal of the carriage at therespective ends of its predetermined range of movement.

I regard the provision of interlocking means between the power-feedmechanism and openand-shut nut, or the equivalent of the latter, as animportant feature of my invention, and various connections may be madetherewith in addition to that described above-as, for example, theconnection I have illustrated in Fig. 8; but the claims upon theinterlocking means are not limited to the specific mechanism illustratedin Fig. 8. As illustrated, this portion of the interlocking mechanism isapplied in part to the lever P in the form of shoulders 17 p and partlyto the rocking plate t in the form of arms or projections i extendedfrom the plate adjacent to and adapted to cooperate at times with theshoulders. In the position illustrated (the leadscrew being thrown outand the worm-shaft connected) the projections will clear the shouldersif the plate be rotated either to the right or to the left, so thateither the power crossfeed or longitudinal feed may be thrown in. When,however, the handle K is turned to throw on the 'open-and-shut nut, themovement of the lever P to the left will carry its shouldered portion tosuch a position that upon an attempt to rock: the plate '6 to the leftthe arm 25 will engage the shoulder p and rocking movement in theopposite direction will be prevented by engagement of the arm 15 andshoulder 13, thus effectually stalling the rock-geart and power-feedswhen the lead-screw is in mesh.

Having thus fully described my invention, I wish it understood that I donot limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement of partsshown, since the same may be widely varied and remain within the spiritof my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a lathe; a traveling toolcarrier; a lead-screw and power-feedmechanism adapted respectively to actuate said carrier, eachindependently of the other, and devices, under the control of theoperator at the toolcarrier, to regulate the rate of longitudinal feedof said tool-carrier by said power-feed mechanism, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a lathe; a traveling tool-carrier; its apron; a lead-screw andpower-feed mechanism adapted respectively to actuate said carrier, eachindependently of the other, and

means movable with said tool-carrier and con- IIO tinually under thecontrol of the operator at said apron, to regulate the rate of travel ofsaid tool-carrier and apron, when actuated by said power-feed mechanism,substantially as described.

3. In a lathe; a traveling tool-carrier; actuating mechanism therefor,including powerfeed mechanism and a lead-screw adapted to operateindependently of each other; and devices under the control of theoperator at the tool-carrier, to regulate the rate of actuation of saidtoolcarrier by said power-feed mechanism and lead-screw respectively,substantially as described.

4:. In alathe; an apron; alead-screw; powerfeed mechanism; andvariable-speed mechanism movable with, and to permit the actuation of,said apron by said lead-screw and power-feed mechanism respectively, atdifferent rates of speed, substantially as described.

5. In a lathe; a traveling tool-carrier; actuating means therefor,including power-feed mechanism and variablcspeed mechanism; and means,under the control of the operator at the tool-carrier to regulate thespeed transmitted to the latter through said mechanisms, substantiallyas described.

6. In a lathe; a traveling tool-carrier; act uatin g means therefor,including powercross and longitudinal feed mechanism and variable-speedmechanism carried by said toolcarrier; and a selector device to governthe speed transmitted by said variable-speed mechanism and power crossand longitudinal feed mechanism to the tool-carrier, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a lathe; the bed; a rotatable leadscrew extended in parallelismwith said bed; a tool-carrier adapted to traverse said bed and screwlongitudinally; and means movable with said carrier and operative duringtraversing movement of the same to rotate said lead-screw.

8. In a lathe; a rotatable leadscrew; an apron adapted to be actuated byrotation of said screw to traverse longitudinally; variable-speedmechanism carried by said apron; and means to permit rotation of saidleadscrew at times by said mechanism, substantially as described.

9. In a lathe; a rotatable lead-screw; an apron adapted to traverse saidlead-screw longitudinally; Variable-speed mechanism carried by saidapron and adapted to be operatively connected with said lead-screw attimes to rotate the same and cause the apron to traverse; and a selectordevice for said variable-speed mechanism, substantially as described.

10. In a lathe; a rotatable shaft or screw; an apron adapted to traversesaid shaft longitudinally; a plurality of different-sized gearssurrounding said shaft coaXially, movable with said apron, and adaptedrespectively to be connected operatively with said shaft to rotate thesame at times, substantially as described.

11. In an apparatus of the class described;

a rotatable lead-screw; a stack of gears surrounding said screwcoaxially and normally free to rotate independently thereof; an intermediate member adapted when rotated to rotate said lead-screw; andmeans to govern actuation of said intermediate member by said gears,substantially as described.

12. In airapparatus of the class described; a lead-screw a stack ofconnected, varisized gears surrounding said shaft coaxially; a clutchmember adapted when actuated to operate said screw; a cooperating clutchmember adapted to be driven by said stack; and means to operate saidclutch, substantially as described.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, the frame; alead-screwrotatably mounted in suitable hearings on said frame and an apron freeto travel on the frame lengthwise of the screw; a quill mounted insuitable hearings on said apron and provided with a stack of varisizedgears; said quill being of suitable internal diameter to receive saidlead-screw and permit free relative axial movement between screw andquill, during travel of the apron lengthwise of said screw; an annularclutch member coaxially arranged with respect to said screw andconnected rotatively therewith, but capable of free axial movement withsaid apron; a cooperating clutch member connected with said stack; andmeans to operate said clutch, substantiallyas described.

M. In an apparatus of the class described, a rotatable lead-screw; anapron having a device adapted to be operatively connected with saidlead-screw, to permit the apron to be fed thereby; and means mounted onsaid apron, to engage and rotate said lead-screw to feed said apron;said means being arranged in close juxtaposition to said device,substantially as described.

15. In a lathe; a rotatable lead-screw; an actuating-shaft; an apronarranged to traverse said screw and shaft longitudinally; and meanscarried by said apron to connect said screw and shaft operatively, attimes, substantially as described.

16. In a lathe; a rotatable lead-screw; an actuating-shaft; an apronarranged to be actuated by said screw; and means carried by said apronto permit rotation of said screw by said shaft, at different rates ofspeed, substantially as described.

17. In a lathe; a rotatable lead-screw; an actuating-shaft; an apronadapted to traverse said screw and shaft longitudinally; and means topermit actuation of said apron by said actuating-shaft both by rotationof said lead-screw, and independently thereof, substantially asdescribed.

18. In an apparatus of the class described, an actuating-shaft an apronadapted to traverse said shaft longitudinally; a lead-screw actuatedfrom said shaft through the medium of means movable with said apron andadapted to actuate said apron; means to permit actuation of said apronby said shaft independently of said leadscreiv; and interlocking devicesto prevent concurrent operation by said shaft of said lead screw andsaid independent means, substantially as described.

19. In a lathe; alead-screw; an apron adapted to be actuated by saidlead-screw and also by independent actuating means; controlling devicesto govern respectively the actuation of said apron by said lead-screwand by said independent actuating means; and interlocking devicesintermediate said controlling devices to prevent concurrent operation bysaid shaft of said lead-screw and said independent means, substantiallyas described.

20. A controller of the class described, comprising a disk, providedwith a suitable handle and having slots to serve as actuating means fornut members; said disk being also provided with a projection to receiveand cooperate with a slotted portion of an interlocking lever to actuatesaid lever directly, substantially as described.

21. In a lathe; a lead-screw; an apron adapted to be fed thereby andprovided with powerfeed mechanism; an open-and-shut nut for saidlead-screw, and anut-controller; aclutch device for said power-feedmechanism; and an interlocking lever'or link connecting said nutmechanism and clutch, topermit the said clutch to be governed andoperated by movement of said nut-controller, substantially as described.

22. In a lathe; an apron; power-feed mechanism and variable-speedmechanism both movable with said apron and adapted to be connectedoperatively at times to permit actuation of said power-feed mechanism atdifferent rates of speed, substantially as described.

In a lathe; an apron, and power-feed mechanism carriedthereby,includingaworm; variable-speed mechanism also carried by saidapron and adapted to be connected operatively with said worm at times topermit actuation of said power-feed mechanism at diiferent rates ofspeed, substantially as described.

24. In a lathe; an apron; variable-speed mechanism and power-feedmechanism carried thereby; a clutch intermediate said mechanisms, and acontroller for said clutch; and an actuatingsl1aftconnected operativelywith said variable-speed mechanism,substantially as described.

25. In a lathe; a rotatable lead-screw; an apron; variable-speedmechanism carried thereby and adapted to rotate said lead screw attimes; and actuating mechanism connected operatively with saidvariablespced mechanism, and including cooperating cones of auxiliarymultiple-speed gears, any cooperating pair of which may be madeeffective by the operator, at will, substantially as described.

26. In a lathe; an apron; a shaft; gears and independentseparating-rings thereon; a feathered spline carried thereby; and ahandle for said spline, said handle being extended toward and arrangedto move near the path of said apron; all constructed and arranged tooperate in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

27. In an apparatus of the class described; a rotatable lead-screw anapron having a device adapted to be operatively connected with saidlead-screw, to permit the apron to be fed thereby; actuating mechanismfor said leadscrew, movable with said apron, and means intermediate saiddevice and mechanism to insure concurrent operation of the same,substantially as described.

28. In a lathe; an apron; an actating-shaf t a rotatable lead-screw, andpower-feed mechanism, actuated respectively from said shaft, and adaptedrespectively to actuate said apron; and interlocking means to preventconcurrent actuation of said apron by said lead-screw and power-feedmechanism, substantially as described.

29. In an apparatus of the class described; a tool-carrier; anactuating-shaft; arotatable lead-screw, and power-feed mechanism,actuated respectively by said shaft, and adapted respectively to actuatesaid tool-carrier; controlling means for said power-feed mechanism; andinterloclzingdevices cooperating with said controlling means, to preventconcurrent actuation of said apron by said lead-screw and power-feedmechanism, substantially as described.

30. In an apparatus of the class described; a rotatable lead-screw anapron havinga device adapted to be connected operatively with saidlead-screw to permit said apron to be fed by rotation thereof; actuatingmechanism movable with said apron, to rotate said leadscrew; and meansto control the actuation of said lead-sorew by said mechanism,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN A. IVHEELER.

Witnesses:

ALEX. C. PROUDFIT, GEO. W. Gnnooav.

